Bad Lines and Summertime
by NakanoHana
Summary: Summer might be a good time to try and win your crush, but Roxas is not impressed by Axel's pick up lines :


Another random one. Partially inspired by a country song. Hope you guys like it. :)

* * *

><p>That had to be the worst pick-up line I've ever heard in my life.<p>

"Aren't you a little old to be selling lemonade?"

I could feel a sudden heat flaming in my cheeks. Not so much because of this joker, but more because his friends were braying like the jackasses they are. Somehow, I knew something like this would happen when I volunteered to watch my cousins for the summer. Give into their crazy little ideas, and what does it get me? That jock jerk Axel Ross and his entire lacrosse team laughing at me when it's barely noon and hot as hell outside. Yipee.

My cousin Namine, ever the innocent little angel, doesn't seem to take notice of my pain or their laughter.

"It's only fifty cents a glass! You wanna try some, mister?"

If I were a halfway decent human being, I would have warned him that Sora and Namine's homemade lemonade tasted like piss and vinegar. But I wasn't. I almost smiled a little bit, hoping to get a weak, but thoroughly vindictive giggle out of watching him spit that stuff out. Never mind it would break Namine's poor little heart.

Axel cocked that familiar grin of his, and immediately I could tell he was up to something.

"Only fifty cents, huh?" He stepped closer and leaned down, almost like he was trying to look her straight in the eye. I was struggling to keep a straight face by now. "That's still a lot in this cruddy economy, missy."

Namine paused, looking thoughtful for a moment. I knew she was taking him seriously, and that almost made a smile break out on my face. But no. This is Axel we're talking about here. The guy I promised never to smile in front of for the rest of my high school career.

"Well, how about I ask Sora if it's okay to make it twenty-five cents? Would that be okay, mister?"

Axel gave her that charming, gets-whatever-he-wants debonair smile. "Sounds good, kiddo."

She smiled happily before ordering me to stand and watch the little make-shift shop, running inside to go talk to Sora, who was just finishing up his PB&J and apple juice, no doubt. That was the only reason I could leave him inside, alone, because he had food to focus on, which he always did without fail. I wouldn't dream of leaving that boy alone in there otherwise, even if it was watching cartoons. Sora was either extreme ADD or he simply had too much energy, because on any given day, even cartoons couldn't keep his attention for long.

Now, the only reason I mentioned that pick-up line was because, with any other person it wouldn't have been. Any one of these jocks would have said that, then probably stuffed me into a garbage can or kicked over the lemonade stand I pain-stakingly built, just for fun. But that, apparently, was not how Axel did things.

In fact, the next thing he said forever confirmed this in my mind.

"So, Blondie, wanna go up to Piper's Point with me this Saturday?"

I think I could literally feel my jaw hanging down like a cartoon character. It was never big news when Axel Ross bedded some new girl or guy at school, but never once had I heard of that girl or guy being a self-proclaimed nerd like myself. Nor did I ever consider that he had any interest in _me. _Sure, I'd had a crush on him once in middle school, but after seeing what a jerk he was, that had cleared up quicker than a mild sunburn in August.

"Excuse me?"

Axel rolled his eyes and took a step towards me. My reply was a matched step back.

"You," he gestured with pointing, "Me. The Point. This Saturday. Wanna go?"

Seeing his friends still laughing not far off made my cheeks burn more. Everyone who went up to the point did so for one thing, and one thing only. Well, making out, but it usually led to that one thing everybody did, so I guess I should say two. Whatever. I'd never go, and I planned on making that very clear to this idiot right now. I wasn't a cheap whore.

I turned away from him. "Thanks, but no thanks."

He didn't take the hint. "Aw, come on, Blondie." The next thing I felt was his big hand on my shoulder, causing a shudder to take over without my permission. I shrugged it off like it had some infectious disease, but he kept talking, still coming closer. "Why not give it a shot? I'm guess not many people ask you up there. It's a lot of fun."

"How dare you!" It wasn't so much the comment about getting asked up to the point. I took it that he thought I didn't get asked out much, period. Which was true, but hey, he didn't need to go insulting me right after asking me out! "That's none of your business! And I said no! So leave me alone!"

He raised his hands defensively and stepped back, but that stupid grin was still on his face. I was determined to wipe it off, even as I heard my cousins coming back outside.

"I'm not trying to pick a fight, kid. I just wanted to-"

That was as far as he got before lemonade splashed all over him. It soaked his hair and his shirt straight through, and from the look on his face, I doubted he'd ever gotten that as a reply from anyone he'd prepositioned. From the dead silence across the lawn, I'm guessing that shut his friends up real quick too. Now they'd probably give me trouble later, but I didn't care. I felt satisfied as I lowered the now empty glass pitcher and grabbed the small box of coins off the table.

"I know exactly what you wanted, Axel, and I'm telling you now that you can forget it." There, let that one do a number on his precious ego. That was for all the times he and his goons bullied me or my friends as kids. I refused to smile, or give him so much as another word, before I turned away from the lemonade stand and gestured my cousins to go back inside.

Later that day, I got an earful and a smack from Aqua when Sora innocently called her an asshole for not getting the cookies he wanted. Sometimes I forget how much I hate kids.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Roxas. You're ice cream's melting, man."<p>

I looked up from where I'd been leaning across the counter, only to see the sea salt popsicle in front of me starting to drip down onto the polished marble.

I adjusted my glasses slightly. "Oh. Thanks."

Hayner gave a curt nod before returning to his ice cream. "No problem. You sure are spacey though. Somethin happen?"

"Yeah. I don't think I've seen you looking like this in a long time," Pence supplied helpfully, leaning with his back against the counter and looking at me curiously. I heard the faded sounds of static and radio weaving through the air of the ice cream shop, mixed with the occasional chatting of the other customers. Nothing much that should be all that distracting. I could kind of see what they meant.

I sighed. "Not much. Just something that happened the other day."

Olette took a long sip of her water, before bending the straw this way and that absently. I think that's her nervous habit, but she didn't look nervous right now.

"What kind of something?" she asked sweetly. Now I was debating whether or not to tell them, just because I knew that the second I mentioned Axel, there would probably be an uproar. As I'm sure you've guessed, he's not exactly popular with my current circle of friends.

"Just a guy giving me trouble."

Olette looked worried. She knew about my past "troubles" with people.

"What kind of trouble?"

I bit a chunk of my ice cream clean off and sucked on it a little. "Well...He asked me out, and for a while he wouldn't take no for an answer, so I-"

I heard a small gasp before I was immediately pulled into a crushing hug. Sometimes I think my friend is way too strong to be a girl.

"Oh, Roxas, that's awesome! I knew one of these days somebody would see your charm!" I think she missed the point, though. I wasn't happy about it at all. Olette just continued to squeal and hug me tight, saying silly things like "my boys are growing up," and junk like that. She was currently dating Hayner, but it seems like ever since we were little tykes, she's been acting more like a mother than a friend. She always had a little first aid kit too, treating us when Hayner got into fights or we just got generally beaten up.

"So, is he new in town? What's he like? What's his name?"

Once she let me go and I got a chance to breathe, Pence slapped my shoulder a little too hard. "Good going, Rox! You finally got someone chasing you!"

I was tempted to say it was Axel now, but Hayner always understood when I was upset. I was never more thankful when he spoke up.

"It's not one of those jerks, is it?" he asked, pretty casually too. "You don't need to take crap from them, Rox. Just punch the guy."

Olette glared at him. "I think you both know that never solves anything." To me, "Why don't you just give this guy a chance? Maybe it'll turn into something, maybe it won't. It can't hurt."

I begged to differ, though I didn't say it out loud. If it wasn't Axel or his goons, she would have had a point. But this being the case, I didn't feel like giving the guy a chance if he talked down to me constantly and never even bothered to use my name.

Hayner hopped off the barstool. "If he knows the guy is just messing with him, it can. I don't want to see my buddy get hurt because of some jackass like that."

Pence and I followed suit, both with our ice creams in hand. I didn't want those two to get into an argument over something so stupid, so I gave them a good smile. One to say, "it doesn't matter anyway."

"Let's just go. I don't even know if I'll see the guy again, so it's a moot point."

Olette looked unhappy with that, but she didn't say anything else. Hayner and Pence shrugged, but both wrapped an arm around my shoulders and leaned on me, weighing me down.

"That's right. We've got bigger things to worry about. Like the struggle tournament next weekend, right kid?" This was followed by Hayner ruffling my hair so hard I actually started to feel dizzy.

"Yeah! You guys better kick ass and take names for us, got it? Show those jocks who's boss!"

Struggle was the one way we could legally pay back those jerks for all the years of stress and torment they put us through. Now that we were bigger and stronger (albeit not by much), we could fight back a little. If we won, sure, they might shove us in trash cans or put spiders in our lockers the whole year afterward, (I don't know; you'd think they'd be a bit more mature by now, but in a slow little town in the mountains, apparently not. There was nothing better to do.) but we would have something we could rub in their faces til the next time.

That was good enough for this little gaggle of nerds.

"Sure, fine," I groaned, shaking them off me. "Now get off."

It was getting late in the day, so we went back to the usual spot and just hung out in the alleyway for a couple hours, talking about summer projects and other little nothings. Then we went our separate ways. I was in no hurry to get home, just because Cloud was working late tonight and he didn't care so much what I did in the summer outside jobs. So I strolled over to a little bar called "The Keyhole," which was literally like a hole-in-the-wall sort of place. Blue neon highlighting the words that spelled out the name, a couple t.v.s inside spouting sports junk over the clatter of pool balls and an old corny country song on the radio. It sounded vaguely like Rodney Atkins, but I couldn't be sure.

Mostly the place was full of older guys drinking beer and smoking up a storm, but The Keyhole had good fries, so I sat down at one of the tables and ordered some, just to kill time.

It was a nice change from most Wednesday nights.

"Well, well. Fancy seeing you again, Blondie."

Thrown off by the relaxing atmosphere, I looked up from the old menu honestly, not even registering the voice that met my ears. Next thing I know, sliding into the booth seat across from me and picking up the drink menu, is Axel Ross.

"Hey," I growled, starting to kick his knee a little under the table. "That wasn't an invite. This table's taken, so move."

He doesn't look up from the menu, just rolls his eyes and scoots to the side a bit, deeper into the booth.

"Didn't look taken. Cool your jets, Blondie, it's not like I'm here to rape you."

I wouldn't have put it past him. Narrowing my eyes a little, I replied, "I'm waiting for someone, so beat it. I don't feel like dealing with you right now."

This time I felt a kick under the table. Axel looks up at me and smiles wickedly.

"I think you're bluffing. Come on, kid," he leans across the table a bit, getting more into my personal space without asking, "Is just sitting here with me really so bad?"

I scowled. I was just about ready to go find another table, but my stubbornness wouldn't let me. This was _my_ table. _I _found it first, so if anyone's moving, it's gonna be him.

The idiot chuckled, reaching over to pick up the main menu and flip through it. Somehow, though, I felt like he was looking more at _me _over top of that thing more than skimming through food choices.

I sighed, returning to my own skimming. Finally just deciding to go with the fries, I closed it and set it aside, waiting for those delicious fried potatoes to come. This place wasn't much, certainly not a big teen hang-out, but they had some of the best damn fries this side of the mountains.

"So what're you having?"

I frowned as Axel lowered his menu and looked up at me again, smiling more nicely this time. I wasn't fooled.

"None of your business." After a short pause, I couldn't help but add, "Why the hell do you keep bothering me anyway? Can't you take no for an answer?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment as he set the folded cardboard back on the table, then moving to rest his head on one hand.

"You're an interesting kid."

I almost grinned then. "Is that just because I said no?"

He shrugged. "Part of it. To tell you the truth, I've always thought you were kinda cute though."

Whatever smile almost formed quickly morphed into a frown, and I felt that familiar burn in my cheeks again. It couldn't just be that damn sunburn.

Axel laughed. "It's true! Though I just gotta say," he leaned closer, closer this time, so that I had to lean back into the plush booth as he was barely a foot away from my face, "You look cuter without those dorky glasses."

I stuttered a minute to find a reply, but luckily didn't voice any of it. I finally opted to glare at some fixed location off behind him and to the right, trying to get that damned blush off my face through force of will. A hand subconsciously reached up and touched the frame of my glasses, tugging them down slightly.

"No one asked for your opinion."

Another chuckle. "Maybe not." His hand snaked up towards me and took hold of my chin, turning it so as to make my eyes meet his. "But I see you like hearing it anyway."

With less hesitation, I shoved his hand away. I know it seems dumb for me to be pouting like a two year old, or Sora on a bad day, but I was fighting an inner battle here! Now I remembered why I sort of used to like him before, but I didn't want those feelings to surface again! He was still so clearly a jerk!

"Aww, did I upset you?" he asked with false sweetness. "No need to cry, Blondie. It was a compliment."

"Shut up!" I growled, turning to firmly pout away from him. "And stop calling me that! I have a name, you know!"

"You mean 'Roxy?" He drummed his fingers on the table, smirking that familiar, shit-eating grin. "Or would you prefer 'Rocks-Ass?'"

"Here's your pepsi and your fries, kid."

That stopped me from smacking him to kingdom come. I looked up to see a brunet, straight hair pulled back into a ponytail. Probably a college girl. Very nice smile.

"Thanks," I muttered, giving her an honest smile. She then turned to Axel and took his order. Onion rings and a Rolling Rock? How he managed to pull that fake id out with a straight face and ask for the beer with that charming smile, I'll never know. But she bought it, and scurried off to go get it. Before I could stop her and let her know he was really just a nineteen year old punk, she was gone.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you smile when I was around." He snatched up one of _my _delicious fries, earning a stern glare from me. Those were mine!

"Was not."

"Was too."

Was not!"

He grinned. "It's nice, isn't it? Letting stuff go, just being able to smile whenever? You should try it sometime."

I scoffed. "I'm not uptight. I just don't like you."

"Why's that?"

"Cause you're a jerk."

He leaned a little closer. "Is that the only reason?"

"Wait, you need to let me start counting..."

"Funny," he said with a roll of his eyes again. "Maybe if you gave me a chance, I could show you I'm a good guy."

"Like you taking me to the point and trying to fuck me senseless?"

He noticeably winced, which surprised me a little.

"Okay, maybe that was a bad way to start things out. But I'm serious about getting to know you."

I took a sip of my pepsi, shrugging. "So that's why you brought your friends along. Made a great impression, I gotta say. Getting embarrassed and laughed at and then asked out, all in one go. Totally made me feel like you were serous."

Axel sighed then, sitting back from me a ways.

"Roxas..."

I paused. That was the first time since I'd first met him that he'd ever called me by name. Usually it was "dork" or "blondie" or something else demeaning or stupid. The vocabulary had changed a bit as we grew, but it was never just "Roxas." I looked up at him earnestly, seeing his green eyes almost glowing in the dim lighting. He wasn't smiling that cocky smile of his anymore; instead he looked serious. Almost too serious.

"You gotta understand. Image is everything with these guys I hang with. I've been used to that for so long...but now I wanna make it up to you. I like you." He reached across the gap and took my hands, startling me. "I know you're a cool kid. I wanna see more of you; see that cool side you have only with your friends, you know?"

His eyes had hope in them. I was confused. How could he expect me to just forgive him like that? After all that time of getting shoved into lockers or closets or getting tripped or having grape soda poured on my head, all those fun things, now he's saying he wants to date me?

I sort of wished I could believe that.

"Sorry," I said, pulling my hands slowly out of his. Once they were out, I have to say, I kind of missed the contact. His hands were warm and even a little...clammy? Like he was nervous?

"I just can't do that." With that, I turned away, not looking at him as I left some money for the food and the tip on my side of the table, then left.

* * *

><p>The days of my summer dragged slowly. I watched the kids during the day, hung out with my friends in the late afternoon and evenings, and trained for the Struggle tournament.<p>

It was an even hotter day when it finally rolled around. You could practically swim in the humidity, it was so hot. But that's the day we chose, and today, all the sweaty geeks and jocks and general spectators gathered round to hear the contest rules, baking all the time.

"Good luck with your match, man."

Hayner nodded, swinging the blue bat over his shoulder. Olette was helping him get those damn balls strapped on, the ones Seifer was going to try to beat off of him in the next three minutes.

"Same to you." I watched with the others when he walked into the ring. I didn't have much hope for him (Seifer was apparently a genius-in-the-making at Kendo. The guy could also really take a punch), but we all wished him luck from the sides. As more of the crowd started to gather round, with fans and ice cream and a landfill's worth of bottled water, I spotted spiky red hair sticking out over top of the crowd. The tall jerk was there, almost ducking behind Rai, but I could feel him looking at me.

He just wouldn't quit.

"Come on, Hayner! You can beat him!"

Pence was jumping up and down enthusiastically at my side. I watched a decent fight (they only go for about two minutes anyways), but still, Hayner got his ass handed to him, losing as many balls figuratively as he was literally, I think. But even when he dragged himself up, brushed off, and left the ring in a huff, he still managed to smile and hug Olette when she came to give him water.

"Ew! You're all sweaty!" I heard her whine.

"S'your fault for huggin me."

I smiled to myself as I went to the equipment pile and donned the styrofoam helmet and padding. As I began strapping the balls on, I glimpsed over to see Axel doing the same. Yes, he was my opponent this time.

But I was determined to beat him now. Make him pay for confusing me so much.

I was still thinking of our encounter days after, and boy, was it really starting to eat away at my conscious. I didn't see him as I left, but I felt like I could imagine; sad eyes, a somewhat broken expression, watching me longingly as I left...

I smacked myself. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of that! After another sidelong glance at Axel, I determined that yes, he was still looking at me. It was clear he hadn't given up.

"Alright! This round: Axel Ross vs. Roxas Miller!" I heard the call as I clambered over to the ring, casting my glasses somewhere off to the side. Taking one look away from my opponent, I glanced over at Setzer, who was standing off against the wall, smirking, with the championship belt on and crystal trophy in hand.

I had to focus now. That prize was gonna be mine.

"Begin!"

I lunged forward at the starting call, raising my bat with a short cry. Axel did the same, without anything but a slight grunt, and out bats met in the air above our heads. Well, above mine, I should say. Damn late growth spurt.

"Have you thought about it at all, Blondie?" he whispered, startling a blush out of me. I growled, shoving him back, harder enough that he had to take a step. Awesome.

"Shut up and focus!" He blocked my next attack easily, but I was ready. I pulled back again and struck his hip, happy to see him stagger back a bit and at least three balls fall to the ground. Side stepping so they wouldn't trip me, I shoved forward again, successfully knocking two more off from his left shoulder. So far, things were looking up...

Then he just got stupid. He turned and ran back toward the outside of the ring, away from me. I growled, feeling like an idiot for chasing him around the area, but it got a good rise out of the crowd. They liked seeing it mix up a little, and somewhere in the rush of sound and color around me I saw my friends, heard their chanting. I could also hear Axel's teammates calling, but I tried to drown them out.

"Chicken wuss!"

"Short stop!"

"Midget!"

All stuff I'd heard before. Next thing I knew, I'd caught up to Axel. Take that, long legs!

"Faggot!"

I stopped, feeling paralyzed by those awful words. I turned to look at the one who'd screamed them, but all I saw were blank faces. No one knew how to take this. Do they shout at the ones trying to disrupt the match? Do they laugh or point like the words were true, without even asking if they were?

Most people around here knew that my brother was gay, and a few close friends new I was gay as well. It wasn't considered as much a sin if you were bi around here; at least then you were half normal, because you still liked girls or guys like others of your gender. Being gay was just...weird to most people. You weren't even half-way normal then. Just a freak. A nobody.

Still, most good people had the sense not to talk about it.

I stood still for a moment, willing the tears back, as I kept hearing that word. The word that haunted my brother and me ever since we were both little. The town took pity on us because we lost our parents, but they couldn't fully forgive us when my brother first came out of the closet. It was hard...

This would have been a perfect time for Axel to land a blow. I was wide open, vulnerable, after all. But it never came. Just as a few sniggers began breaking out in the crowd, I heard a punch, and everything stopped.

"Take it back!"

I looked up and around, stunned by the silence. Who was that? Hayner?

Another hard punch. It sounded almost like it broke something. "I said take it back!"

I followed the line of sight of the crowd and was surprised to see...Axel. How did he get over there so fast? Whatever. He was punching the crap out of Seifer Almasy outside the ring.

But wait, I thought. That meant-

"Axel Ross, I'm afraid you are disqualified." Next thing I knew, the portly referee was lifting my batting arm to the sky, like he was trying to distract from the awkwardness we'd just experienced.

"Roxas Miller wins this round!"

A few confused murmurs, and then finally the crowd began cheering. Hayner, Pence, and Olette had started it, but I could see the worried looks from some of them. With my other hand, I wiped the tears that had gathered away, and smiled as my name carried over the crowd. I barely caught Axel, leaving a bruised and battered Seifer laying on the ground, stalking off around the corner out of the corner of my eye.

* * *

><p>All it took was another victory against Seifer, which I relished completely. I gave that bastard a good beating, and thus my team won the day.<p>

Nobody blamed me for not wanting to go on to fight Setzer in the championship. I offered Hayner the opportunity, but he shook his head, reaching out and clasping my shoulder comfortingly.

"It's okay, man." He hefted the trophy up for us all to see and finally smiled normally again. "We can rub this in their faces all year! That'e good enough for me!"

"Yeah! You were great out there, Rox!" Pence exclaimed, hugging me round my middle tightly before the other two joined in, starting to crush me.

"Thanks guys," I wheezed. I knew they had good enough sense not to ask me how I was right away. If I was still acting like this a day from now, however, that'd be a different story. "Now could you let me go? Can't...breathe..."

They laughed, getting off me just as my brother and his boyfriend came racing over to us.

"Oh my God, we missed it? Leon, I told you we should have left earlier! I'm so sorry Roxas!" I felt myself enveloped in a strong, warm hug, smiling despite myself as I saw tears in my brother's eyes again.

"It's fine, Cloud. It's fine." I was actually glad he'd missed it. He was such a hard-working, caring person; he didn't need to hear someone being an asshole to either of them. Not again.

"Please don't cry. I hate it when you start angsting."

Cloud sniffled a little, but smiled. I knew he was just playing around.

"Oh good. I never would've forgiven myself if I missed something so important to you, kiddo." He ruffled my hair and pulled me into a headlock. I laughed it off before finally pushing him away, looking to see a flustered looking Leon pull us both in for a hug as well.

"From the looks of that trophy, I'm guess you guys kicked ass. Good job!"

I smiled. I really like Leon. He's a good guy, a young police officer who transferred here from Hollow Bastian two years ago. He treats Cloud well, which would have been enough in my book, and he also hangs out with me sometimes and tutors me when I have trouble with homework. He's my family, even if he can't share our last name.

After making plans to go somewhere later and celebrate (for tomorrow's dinner, because Olette had a piano recital in a few hours), I ran off in search of Axel. I had seen him head this way; I don't know where he lives, but I needed to talk to him. He'd stood up for me. At the very least, I wanted to thank him. Maybe ask him if he wanted to go out with us tomorrow.

I don't know exactly how, but some instinct-like force guided me to the old station clock tower, almost on the other side of town. I wasn't sure he'd be there at all, but it was a peaceful place that few people went to. Maybe if he was brooding, he'd be up there.

Also, it was one of the best places to watch the sunset in all of Twilight Town.

I climbed the ladder and, sure enough, I heard soft whistling on the breeze halfway up. Once I reached the top, I walked around the rim until I found him, legs up and hanging over the side of the tower, arms behind his head and leaning against the wall.

Damn he's _tall_.

He didn't say anything at first, so I walked over slowly and sat down beside him. He looked up then, raising a hand and squinting against the sun.

"Didn't expect you to come all the way up here."

"I wanted to thank you. For standing up for me." I twisted the hem of my shirt nervously in my lap. "No one's really done that for me before."

"No one like me, you mean."

I looked down, only to find him looking at the sunset again. It was starting to get dark now, growing across the sky from the east. I sighed.

"I'm sorry if I upset you or anything. I couldn't tell if you were being serious with me. I'm used to people just messing with me... if they aren't my friends, you know?"

He nodded slightly. We watched the sun until it faded past the horizon, and darkness started to take over the whole sky. With so few lights in town, you could always look forward to getting a nice show of stars at night in the summer. I looked up expectantly for a while, smiling when I saw them beginning to shine through.

"They're beautiful."

I smiled down at Axel. "Aren't they? I used to come up here with Cloud a lot when I was small. We'd watch the stars together." Even before our parents had died, we would do this. In fact, I could still remember my mom holding my hand, exclaiming with delight while my dad and Cloud just smiled, leaning against the tower and watching quietly...

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt a familiar, warm hand on my face. Warm, tender fingers brushed my cheek, collecting the few tears and holding them out so I could see them. I winced, looking away embarrassed, but Axel wasn't letting me go far. That hand cupped my cheek and pulled me down a bit, close to his face. He was smiling.

"I suppose, but I was really talking about your eyes."

I blushed and tried to shove him off. No way would he see me crying more. He'd think he actually had me with that cheesy line.

"That was awful."

Axel chuckled softly, running a hand through my hair and petting it softly. Kind of like how my dad used to. What was wrong with me tonight?

"It got you smiling more."

Now, even more than the blush spreading over my cheeks, I could feel the smile. It was open, honest. I was _really _smiling for this bastard.

Axel leaned up slowly, closing the space between us. His breath ghosted against my lips.

"I like you."

For the rest of the night, I didn't pay much attention to the stars. I found out that sometimes, another person's lips could be much more distracting. But that was okay. It was summer time. Hot as hell, and again, I'd just heard the worst pick up line in my life.


End file.
